Nature. Mindfulness. Inspiration. Life.

The lazy, hazy days of summer are finally here and I, for one, am VERY happy about that!

Today, despite my admittedly daunting to-do list, I'm taking the kids to the beach for the first time this season, and I'm quite excited to simply stick my toes into the warm sand and await the "salon treatment" of cool mud from a beach bucket mixed with lake water. (If that doesn't sound good to you, you haven't tried it yet!) I'm downright terrible at relaxing, but I think my kids have perfected the remedy.

There's something so heavenly about the way a beach muffles the sounds of the world. Everything seems so far away. Little kids yelling seem like they're yelling from Mars. The insignificant stuff washes away with the waves. Whoever said "Life's a Beach" really knew what she was talking about!

To get your season off to a sweet start, I thought I'd round up some summer reads from the archives. (If you're just starting winter where you are, perhaps these will warm you up!)

Enrollment opens VERY soon for the next session of my online photography course, The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level, running in July 2016. Stay tuned here for details, or get on the list for my free monthly photography e-letter, "Writing with Light", which is where the big course discounts and early registration can be found. (Sign up for "Writing with Light" in the righthand column of this blog.)

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I'm so happy to tell you that my "globe-trotting friend" Michael Graziano is back from another extraordinary adventure abroad and once again, he's very kindly letting me share it with you here! If you've been reading this blog for a while, then you already know that Michael shared his amazing trip to Hawaii and his picture-perfect trip to New Zealand. This time, he headed off for three months to Thailand, with a side trip to Cambodia, and his pictures (taken with his trusty iPhone) are just as jaw-droppingly beautiful as ever!

At this point, you might be wondering, "How on earth does this guy afford all of these awesome adventures that go on for months? Is he a millionaire or what?!" Well, first of all, he's working for room & board during these "vacations." But I love the real reason he's traveling the world: A dear friend who was his elementary school teacher in Connecticut passed away and left him an inheritance (she had no children), divided with two other former students whom she'd kept in touch with through the years. In elementary school, she taught Michael how to make a pinhole camera. It seems so poetic and poignant that all of these years later, he's using her generous and extraordinary gift to take once-in-a-lifetime pictures of the world far and wide.

The following quotes are Michael's updates from Facebook, and all of the photographs in this post are his, taken with his iPhone (all used with his kind permission, of course!).

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January 13, 2016: "Day 3 at the New Life Foundation outside of Chiang Rai. We are awoken by a quiet gong at 6:00 am each day for meditation or yoga at 6:30. I completely slept through it the first day. The morning mist is quite magical and worth waking up for."

January 14, 2016: "I will teach my first yoga class in Thailand early tomorrow morning in this open air pavilion. We face the east looking out over the garden so the class can watch the sun rise."

January 16, 2016: "On Sunday, there is no formal meditation or yoga so I was able to sleep today until the glorious hour of 6:45 am. The mornings and evenings are chilly with temperatures falling into the 50's but the days are warm and sunny, reaching the 80's in the late afternoon. It is quite extraordinary how being somewhere tropical in the winter elevates my mood. It's as if my base level happiness switch is raised by 50 percent."

January 20, 2016: "Every morning we are required to do a couple of hours of working meditation which is mostly physical work, such as gardening, making mud bricks, building houses--done a bit more slowly and mindfully."

January 22, 2016: "I love this little island in the lake on the property here, and especially the lone brave tree on it standing guard."

January 23, 2016: "Sending some late afternoon sun and warmth from Thailand to my East Coast friends in another Snowmageddon."

January 26, 2016: "We've had a couple of days of solid rain and cold, very unusual for Thailand. Buildings don't have any heating because it's a tropical climate so everyone is bundled in several layers of clothes, hats and gloves or wrapped in blankets, even indoors. The daytime high was only 48 degrees. Just a couple of days ago it was 85 degrees."

January 28, 2016: "It's the last sunset before going silent for a week starting tomorrow. I am joining a 7-day insight meditation retreat with about 30 others. I've thought about doing a vipassana retreat like this for the last couple of years. It's held in silence the entire time so no talking, no texting, no emailing, no Facebook until February 6th."

February 6, 2016: "Morning has broken and the silence is broken. The silence was relatively easy, the meditation less so. Sometimes the body ached, sometimes the mind wouldn't stop moving, other times I got sleepy or bored. But my senses were incredibly heightened and there were some strong moments of clarity, release and insight. I am glad I can now talk again!"

February 6, 2016 (later): "It continually surprises me who I most connect with on my travels. Jessy and Olivia are 20-year-old students from China. We had lots of laughs here before they returned to Shanghai. They had never done lip syncing before so I taught them how and we performed together at an open mic. They had never heard of Motown so we did "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Diana Ross and The Supremes. And yes, we sang into spoons. Things are very low-tech in rural Thailand."

February 10, 2016: "I am fascinated by the yellow silk cotton trees that line the property. They have no leaves so looking at them in silhouette, they appear almost dead. But their branches are covered with buds of flowers that blossom after hitting the ground. These are used to create the mandalas that appear every day before the morning community meeting."

February 14, 2016: "On Saturday I left the countryside for the city of Chiang Rai, about a half hour song tau ride away. Visited local temples. Went to the night market. Ate interesting local foods. And bought some Thai pants to teach yoga in."

February 20, 2016: "Took a field trip this afternoon to the kitschy White Temple. Michael Jackson, Elvis and Batman are included on the shrine walls inside. Over-the-top!"

February 22, 2016:"I begin another silent meditation retreat today. This one is only 5 days long. So no speaking, reading, listening to music, emailing, texting or Facebook until next weekend. Namaste."

February 27, 2016:"I have just finished my second silent meditation retreat in a month. This one was easier to slip into coming just two weeks after the last one. Lots of psychology and neurobiology included in the dharma talks this time. And it was led by two folks from Dharma Punx NYC. Interesting to make a connection with people from my own backyard across the world in Thailand."

February 29, 2016: "The vegetable garden here is bordered by annual flowers. About 60 percent of the food we eat is grown on property."

March 3, 2016: "The light over the nearby lakes is beautiful just after sunset. Reminds me of one of my favorite songs by Jonatha Brooke and The Story."

In the gloaming, oh my darling When the lights are soft and low And the quiet shadows falling Softly come and softly go

When the trees are sobbing faintly With a gentle unknown woe Will you think of me and love me As you did once long ago?

March 5, 2016: "Visiting the city of Chiang Mai for the weekend. No, the monks are not praying. They are on their mobile devices. Even in Thailand. I miss the rotary phone."

March 8, 2016: "Only one day left for me at New Life Foundation. One last yoga class to teach. One last morning meeting where I'll say goodbye to new friends. It's been a wonderful experience. Next up is Cambodia."

March 10, 2016: "Made it to Cambodia where it is dog-days-of-summer hot. Well over 100 degrees."

March 13, 2016: "Got up at 4:30 this morning to meet my tuk-tuk driver, Hooch, to watch the sunrise over the largest religious monument in the world, Angkor Wat, built in the 12th century by one of the kings from the Khmer Empire. It was impossible to get a photo capturing its grandeur. Angkor Wat is considered the 7th man-made wonder of the world. Built in the classical style of Khmer architecture, it is surrounded by a huge moat, covers over 500 acres, rises almost 700 feet and took 30 years to build. Being here, it's hard to imagine it was built almost 1,000 years ago."

March 14, 2016: "I visited the Bayon Temple which sits in the middle of the ancient Kmher city of Angkor Thom, which had over one million inhabitants during the Middle Ages at the time when the population of London was just 50,000. Built in the late 12th or early 13th century, it represents the baroque style of Khmer architecture as opposed to the classical style of Angkor Wat. Its signature is more than 200 huge smiling faces which appear at the top of the towers."

March 15, 2016: "I visited the picturesque Ta Prohm temple outside Siem Reap. Built in the late 12th century, it is one of the few temples that's been left in the same condition as when it was found, with trees growing out of the ruins and roots holding up walls."

March 17, 2016: "I have left Cambodia and its incredible temples and kind people and returned to Thailand. Just took a long tail boat to Railay Beach where I will be for the next couple of days."

March 21, 2016: "I went hiking in Ko Lanta National Park this morning. After climbing down to the beach in the photo below, I found Scottish friends Nicky and Martin sitting on a swing. Such a sweet surprise--I didn't even know they were here! After hellos and hugs, they gave me a bottle of water to quench my thirst. The beach monkey below had other ideas and decided it belonged to her."

March 26, 2016: "Easter Sunday. Got up early. Watched the sun rise over the bay at low tide."

March 27, 2016: "There is almost always a boat nearby the Thai beaches where I've spent the last couple of weeks. Headed to the mountains and jungle of Koh Sok National Park today."

March 31, 2016: "To celebrate my birthday, I took a ride on an elephant and took a ride in a boat to spend the night in a floating bungalow on Chian Lake. The bungalow was bamboo. The boat was wood. The elephant was named Cell Phone."

April 3, 2016: "The lotus flower represents spiritual rebirth in Buddhism. Growing out of the dark mud representing suffering, it emerges clean and beautiful representing enlightenment. A lovely metaphor and I'm always happy to see these flowers each day in Thailand."

April 3, 2016: "I am coming up on my final days in Thailand. My travels last year in New Zealand and Hawaii were a mid-life attempt to let go of things that weren't serving me anymore. This year's journey was about looking at what I want to keep and develop as I enter the next life phase. I didn't find all the answers but I feel I'm closer, so it's a good time to head back. Still, I am anxious. New York City, as stimulating and wonderful as it is, can be a hard and dark place, especially during times of transition. Better soak up the light here while I can."

April 5, 2016: "Heading to Bangkok today. Sleep for a few hours. Then an early plane back to NYC. A few long travel days. I hope to keep up the yoga teaching as I look for a full-time job upon my return. I love working with beginners and with people who think their bodies "can't do yoga." Small group classes at my apartment and private sessions to start. Off to the taxi to the boat to the plane..."

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Well, I don't know about you, but I feel a LOT more relaxed after that vicarious trip to Asia. Thanks so much, Michael, for letting me share your beautiful and always thoughtful adventures!

I woke up this morning just before 4:30--not on purpose, but I didn't go back to sleep. It was still dark outside; not even the birds were up yet. A perfectly quiet house, almost surprising in its stillness.

"We come to see that stillness and silence form the backdrop of our lives and that everything else is just passing through. Sounds come and go, sensations come and go, emotions, all of them traveling through stillness and silence like fish moving through an eternal ocean or weather traveling across an eternal sky."

His words and the early, lightless morning were in contrast to something I'd written recently in one of my ongoing work/life journals, about how rarely we let ourselves think our own thoughts. Instead, we scurry from one thing to the next. Soundbites, tweets, and relentless updates fill up our hours. News of the world far and wide inserts itself into our days, when what we really could benefit from is silence. A pen or pencil poised above our own blank pages.

I can't wrap up this post by saying that I have the magical answer for how to find the silence and stillness, because my own days seem to be whirling faster and louder lately. All good things, but nonetheless, life is hardly a Buddhist retreat right now. My friend Michael has been in Thailand since January and has had two separate weeks of silent meditation. No speaking, no reading, no music, and certainly no news or social media. The mere idea of it seems very close to heaven. (Well, I'm not so sure about the "no reading" part, but the rest of it: yes!)

Perhaps I need to get up earlier more often, to meet the quiet day before the noise begins.

My next online photography course starts this Sunday. Join me for The Charm of Children: How to Take Better Photos of Babies and Kids. Think of it as two precious weeks to really, truly focus on the little ones in your life, before they're not so little anymore. (Spaces are limited; I've got a handful left. No fancy camera necessary--you can even use your smart phone. Detailshere).

Last week, I drove alone through three states, to and from a funeral. My cousin had died, at age 63, of lung cancer. She had an unusual life, but it's not mine to share with you here, and it feels somehow sacred and right to keep it private. Anyway, the heart of the matter is that I went to the funeral because of her mother--my great aunt, who is 103 years old and one of the people I love most in this world.

Due to her advanced age, I always expect to find my Aunt Ann looking frail and decrepit, but then she always surprises me by looking beautiful and (relatively) strong, her white hair neatly coiffed and hairsprayed, a little lipstick staining her lips like a kiss. I hold her soft hand and it reminds me of a child's worn leather gloves. I hug her tightly and we cry together. My grandmother--her sister--died when I was 14, and frankly, I was too young to fully appreciate her. But I'm very good at appreciating my aunt. I treasure each visit, fearing each one will be the last.

Another cousin kindly hosts me for the night, and we talk about the relatives no longer with us--the list sadly grows, but there are happy memories for balance.

The next day, after the funeral, I start the long drive back home. I travel through my old hometown, a small beach town on the southeastern coast of Connecticut. I pass familiar streets, the old houses of childhood friends, my grammar school, my high school (almost unrecognizable with its renovations), two churches I used to belong to. A flicker of memory is attached to each passing place. It's like a slideshow of my life.

I go a little out of my way to drive by my childhood home. The house is painted brown now (it was white when we owned it) and looks smaller than I remember. The new owners are taking good care of it, so that brings some comfort. But I don't think I'll ever get over the grand sweep of woods behind it being replaced by a posh housing development. That remains a dull ache, a lump in my throat, a splinter never fully removed.

I stop at the town beach and get out to take pictures. This beach--there's something so grounding, so comforting, about returning to a place that never seems to change. Even in winter, the beach draws some visitors. There's a person alone in each car parked at the beach's edge, eating a sandwich or just gazing out at the water, as if the answer each one is seeking will rise up out of the lazy waves.

I crouch down very low to take pictures of the bold seagulls flapping and strutting around the empty beach. A gust of wind blows and the birds hunker down, shivering on the cold sand. I realize I'm shivering, too, and head back to the car.

With each funeral and every ending, I think we learn that life doesn't get easier, but we do get to know ourselves more and more as the years tick on. With luck, we find the people and things that matter to us. We trust ourselves more, reaching deep down inside to feel on a gut level what works, and what works no longer.

At the end of last year, with the help of Susannah Conway, I chose two words to guide me through 2015: Contemplate and Radiate. Those words still resonate with me, but with a new year right around the corner, it feels good to have a new word to latch onto, a sort of guidepost, or theme. So in the spirit of really listening to myself--to what I want to keep, where I want to go, how I want to live--my word for 2016 will be Intuit.

Because I want to feel--deeply--what's important to me. I want to keep the most sacred things close.

I wish you a wonderful new year, filled with all of the people who mean the most to you. And thank you so very, very much for visiting me here!

The last day of the kids' school year is tomorrow, and lo and behold, a catalog arrived today in the mail with the cover headline bellowing at me to "Get Set for Back to School!" Sorry, pushy catalog people, but I plan on savoring the summer instead of rushing it along, especially after the whirlwind of June activities that closed out the school year. (And I thought May was a busy month--HA!)

I'd like a simple, leisurely summer--and here's how I plan on creating it:

1. I will not fret about packing up for the town beach. Basically, we need sunscreen, swimsuits, thermoses, and towels. We do not need to pack up our car like we're embarking on a three-month safari.

2. I will relax the rules. If the kids want to stay up later than usual at night or sleep later than usual in the mornings, so be it! If they want to get messy outdoors, we've got a hose to rinse them off.

3. I will take full advantage of the public library. The library is a year-round treat for our family, but in summer, it's got free outdoor concerts, too.

4. I will remember that I am not the children's personal entertainer. Of course, we'll do plenty of fun things together, but certainly not 24/7, nor even 12/7. While I'm teaching my two online photography courses in July and August, I'll prepare the kids with plenty of books from the library, sketchbooks, and art supplies. And then there's the Great Outdoors, which I'll heartily encourage them to explore.

5. I will not get suckered into buying souvenirs. We don't need to buy things to prove that we visited places. Photographs capture the moment a lot better than some plastic trinkets made in China.

The "catalog people" are acting like summer should be rushed along to make way for fall. I, however, have other plans for the season.

How 'bout you? How do you keep your summer simple? I'd love to hear about it!

Tags:
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I grew up in this pretty little beach town--East Lyme--and I don't think I fully appreciated it until I moved away. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, tourists (whom we residents less-than-affectionately called "summer people") flocked here in droves to park themselves on the town's sandy-white beaches. As kids, we tolerated this seasonal population boom, but I'm not sure we really understood it. What was all the fuss about, anyway?

After college, when I lived in Manhattan (quite a different town!), I would occasionally take the Amtrak train to Old Saybrook, where my parents would meet me at the station and drive me back to our East Lyme home. It was on one of those train trips when I noticed that almost all the passengers in my train car stopped what they were doing--looked up from their books, their newspapers, their various diversions--to simply gaze out at the shoreline view. It was my town we were passing through.

I think that's when I fully realized just how good I'd had it, growing up in this pretty little beach town. I still go back from time to time, to pay my respects.

Back in January, I had the pleasure of bringing you along on a Hawaiian adventure, courtesy of one of my nearest and dearest friends, Michael Graziano, in a post called Picture-Perfect Postcards from Hawaii. (If you missed it, check it out!) After Michael left Hawaii, heheaded off ona six-week solo backpacking tour of New Zealand. He's been kind enough to let me share with you here the second leg of his trip. (Hang on to your hats! His photos are going to blow you away--and just might cause you to book a very long flight!)

While I can't wait to catch up with Michael again in New York, I'm really going to miss his updates from abroad. Strangely enough, even though he was on the other side of the globe, I felt closer to him than ever. I think you'll understand why, after you read his heartfelt and often funny commentaries on his travels.

The following quotes are Michael's updates from Facebook, and all of the photographs in this post are his, taken with his iPhone. (All text and photos were used with his generous permission, of course!)

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February 5, 2015: "First sunset in New Zealand in Piha outside Auckland. I'm a bit more discombobulated than I expected, adjusting to a new country, even though we speak the same language."

February 8, 2015: "People in New Zealand are so NICE. In comparison, I feel like such a cranky New Yorker. And Auckland is so clean. The trains smell like a sea breeze."

February 9, 2015: "Had an amazing time hiking the coast near Piha and Karekare Beach [above]. This is where my long-time favorite Neil Finn of Crowded House lives and creates some gorgeous music. Neil, why did you not invite me in for tea?"

February 17, 2015: "Just finished a five-day group tour from Auckland to Wellington. What was I thinking? I hate group travel. The sights were gorgeous. The people were out of a sit-com. I'll be happy not to arrive at the National Parks at the exact same time as three other tour buses."

February 20, 2015: "I depart New Zealand's North Island today for the South Island, which I am told is even more spectacular. Exciting!"

February 21, 2015: "I had such an unusual time flying to the South Island. First I had a long chat with my Cambodian van driver. He was a Vietnam War vet and was held as a POW for over 10 years. Surprisingly not bitter and in favor of that war. Then there was absolutely no security at the Wellington airport. No bag check. No taking off of shoes. No scanner. Nothin'. The pilot checked us in herself and there were three passengers in a six-seat plane. After a flight over gorgeous mountains and coast, we helped her push the plane into its hangar. Then she became the car rental agent and kindly got me my car without hounding me for extra insurance. I love New Zealand."

February 26, 2015: "Many of the people I've befriended over the last five months are young enough to be my children. And yet we connect. We are looking for the same answer to different questions. They are traveling to discover what they will become in the world. I am traveling to discover what in the world became of me."

February 27, 2015: "Just finished staying a couple of nights in a cozy little wooden cabin on the coast of Golden Bay. It had an outdoor kitchen and a compost toilet with a million-dollar view. It was a former Buddhist retreat and I was the only guest. I was able to watch this morning's sunrise while tucked under the covers."

"I am loving taking long solitary walks on the Golden Bay beaches with their dramatic tides and empty space."

March 3, 2015: "This is the closest I have gotten to snow this year. The Franz Josef Glacier [above]. Having lived most of my life on the east coast [of the U.S.], I thought I would miss winter and the change of seasons during my travels in Hawaii and New Zealand. But I don't miss them one bit. Not at all."

March 5, 2015:"I felt like I fell down Alice's rabbit hole today while hiking the Kepler Track. Mushrooms everywhere in the forest!"

March 8, 2015: "When I woke up this morning, it was 46 degrees in Te Anau and 50 degrees in NYC. The first time this winter it has been warmer there than here. Cheer up, eastern seaboard. Spring is coming!"

March 8, 2015:"Fiordland [above]. Actually I feel it should be FIORDLAND! First place I've been where the photos just can't capture the majesty."

March 10, 2015: "Much of my soundtrack here in New Zealand has been Crowded House, New Zealand's most famous band and one of my all-time favorites. I listen to 'All I Ask' from their 1991 'Woodface' album over and over. It's like I am in junior high."

All I ask is to live each moment Free from the last Take the road forgotten Don't leave me here Oh, please let me stray Far from familiar things All I ask is to live each moment

-- Neil Finn

March 11, 2015: "I am staying in a small cabin on a sheep farm on the Banks Peninsula for the rest of the week. This is my back yard [above]."

March 13, 2015: "I am going to get a bit mystical here. Ever since arriving in Hawaii six months ago, I've been absorbed in taking photos. This surprised me as I've never been interested in photography before. I last took photos with an Instamatic in 1985. And I had an iPhone for over five years before I ever used the camera on it. I was taking the photos of the evening sky below when it hit me that it was my elementary school art teacher, Miss Jankura, speaking to me. I took my first photograph with her when we made cameras out of oatmeal boxes in third grade. And she developed the photography program at my high school after I graduated so I was never able to take her class. She died from cancer without ever telling me that she was sick or that I was in her will. The money she left me allowed me to take this six-month adventure. I have felt watched over by her the entire trip. And the photos have been a way to say goodbye and thank you. Her spirit and imagination are in each of them."

March 14, 2015: "Today I am leaving the sheep behind and heading to Northland. I don't think the sheep ever warmed to me but they sure are fun to take photos of when they don't run away."

March 17, 2015: "Since I got to New Zealand, I've mostly taken landscape photos trying to capture the grandeur of the environment. Here are a few close-up pics of more humble things that caught my eye."

Shell of a sea urchin washed ashore

"This is a jellyfish lying on a black sand beach. I thought the colors were beautiful together and it looked like something from a 50's sci-fi flick."

March 21, 2015: "I've had many insightful readings shared during my travels, but the one below, which I heard in January at one of Kalani's Monday Ohana meetings, has the most resonance for me personally."

In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited or depressed, they would ask one of four questions:

When did you stop singing?

When did you stop dancing?

When did you stop being enchanted by stories?

When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence?

Where we have stopped dancing, singing, being enchanted by stories or finding comfort in silence is where we have experienced the loss of soul. -- Gabrielle Roth

March 23, 2015: "All journeys come to an end and mine is no exception. After six months away, I head back to NYC later this week. I am so happy to have seen many beautiful things and met many beautiful beings. This will be my final trip post as I am going to be quiet while I settle back into city life and see what comes next. Thanks to all who have followed me. The 'likes' and comments were always appreciated. I felt like I had a caravan of travelers with me."

Okay, how AMAZING was that?! Do you have a favorite shot? Let me know in the comment section! (Thanks again, Michael. I'm so grateful we've been friends for thirty-four years and counting!)

I just got back from a lovely ski weekend in Great Barrington, MA with my family. (Well, to be technical, my husband and daughter went skiing, my son went snowboarding, and I went photographing!) While I'd love to show you some pictures from the ski trip, I thought you might like a little break from all of the snow and ice lately...to take a little vicarious vacation to Hawaii!

Aside from a couple of posts featuring the work of my photography students, I've featured other photographers here only twicebefore. But I'm making an exception again, for one of my nearest and dearest friends, Michael Graziano, whom I've known since we were 16 years old, when we met at a summer arts program for high school students at Wesleyan University.

Michael and I are birds of a feather. We both grew up in Connecticut; we both lived in New York City for many years, where we were both in creative fields; and we're both crazy about the music of Neil Finn and Liam Finn (but oddly, not Tim Finn). He's one of those friends that no matter how much time passes between get-togethers, we start right up where we left off. (I love that kind of friendship, don't you?)

For the past twenty years, Michael worked at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and as its Producing Director, he helped raise millions of dollars for its charitable efforts. Last August, he decided to step down from his high-profile job and step out into the Great Unknown. I've been thoroughly enjoying his Facebook updates (let's be honest: how many friends can you say that about?), and I'm betting you'll enjoy this armchair trip, too.

The following quotes are Michael's updates from Facebook, and all of the photographs in this post are his, taken with his iPhone (all used with his permission, of course!).

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September 23, 2014: "An adventure begins this week. I am off to live in Hawaii for 4 months, volunteering at Kalani retreat on the Big Island. I'll be living in a tent, which I bought from an Italian gal who is leaving for Costa Rica. I am bringing few possessions--clothes, some good books, a journal, my good-luck necklace that I bought in Amsterdam when I was 20 years old. I will be living in the shadow of the Kilauea volcano, nature's reminder of its own awesome power. How will I be touched, humbled and changed by dangerous Pele, the ancient Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes?"

October 15, 2014: "I am making friends with some new members of the animal kingdom here in Hawaii such as this gecko. There are also the feral cats that live on the property and are very sweet. Less friendly are the wild pigs that roam around my tent at night but they scare easily. I am trying to avoid the dreaded fire ants which pack quite a sting. Sea turtles can be seen in the ocean nearby but so far they have only poked their heads and shells out of the water and not ventured onto the land. So many living things to encounter!"

October 26, 2014: "The lava approaches. We shall see what Madame Pele has in store for us this week. The closest town may have to evacuate but we are not currently in the lava path. It will likely cross the highway, though, so we will be cut off from civilization as new roads are made. The lava changes its path and rate of flow all the time so nothing is certain."

November 15, 2014: "This guy has been living in the shower stall for a few days now. Seems to be friendly so far."

December 10, 2014: "When I arrived in Puna in October, it was hot, humid and rained every day. Now that we are in the 'rainy season' of December, it is glorious with the sun shining, lower humidity, cooler nights and no rain for days. Perfect holiday weather."

December 24, 2014: "These palm trees looked to me like snowflakes against the sky. Happy Christmas Eve from Hawaii!"

January 12, 2015: "Night falls over my tent."

January 13, 2015: "Cats. There must be close to 100 feral cats on property, fed by animal-loving volunteers and whatever they can find in the jungle. These cats act like dogs, begging for food or attention. This is Wilbur."

January 17, 2015: "Sunset at Mauna Kea into the clouds at almost 14,000 feet."

January 18, 2015: "Goodbye Kalani! I depart today after 3 and a half months filled with laughter, challenge and creativity. I shaved off my beard and hair yesterday in prep for the next leg of the trip. Time for new growth. I'll be exploring the islands for the rest of the month and head to New Zealand in February. Aloha Kalani friends!"

* * * * * * * *

Safe travels, Michael, and thanks for letting me share a little part of your Hawaiian adventure here! I hope New Zealand is EVEN BETTER! xox Joy

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I now return you to your regularly scheduled weather. (How GORGEOUS were those pics?!)

Would you get on a sailboat for 7 days with 10 members of your family? Would you still love them on Day 8? Well, I did, and I do! To celebrate my in-laws' 50th wedding anniversary, my extended family headed down to the Abaco Cays in the Bahamas for a week of sand, surf, and...sweat! It was crazy-hot and humid, but that's what we get for booking a Bahamas vacation in August, right? (For those of you who took guesses at the location of my "Monday Snapshot", here's your answer: Treasure Cay.)

Despite the heat, it was a very cool trip! Here's what I learned in the Abaco Cays (pronounced "keys"):

1) Lizards, lizards, everywhere! In Rome and in Israel, cats are roaming around everywhere you look. In the Bahamas, the official critter seems to be the lizard. We saw mostly the curly-tailed variety, but those little guys were too quick and camera-shy, so here's another type, below. Handsome fellow...

2) The Bahamas are (sort of) eco-friendly. As you can see in the top photo, the beaches of the Abacos are pristine and relatively litter-free, but oddly, I saw no sign of recycling during the whole trip, aside from (maybe) one trash bin (possibly) for bottles. It felt weird and wrong to throw out cans and bottles with the regular trash. Bahamians are not "un-green", though. Look at this playground in Hope Town, pictured below, that was built around a tree instead of cutting it down. How cool is that?!

3) The spiders in the Bahamas have their own Halloween costumes!

I learned this red spider with the crabby "face" on its back (to fool prey) is called a Spinybacked Orbweaver. It's harmless to humans, which is good because I was getting "up close and personal" to snap pics!

4) Sharks hang out at the docks. I've seen two sharks "in the wild" before, both in the Bahamas, and both times, they were in shallow water right below the docks. I'm not talking about Great White "Jaws" type of sharks. Just small ones--nurse sharks or dogfish. We also saw a couple of sea turtles!

5) Toads are tenacious. This guy (below) hung on for the boat ride for a good hour, unbothered by the "paparazzi" (my family) snapping away. Then he calmly hopped off the deck and splish-splashed away. (What's the difference between frogs and toads, you may ask? For starters, toads can be out of the water for extended periods of time, have bumpy skin, and aren't shy around people.)

6) To get your "land legs" back faster, take long walks, ride a bike, or drive. There's a weird physical sensation that can happen after you've been on a boat for an extended period of time. For hours or sometimes days afterward, you feel like you're still on a boat, with your world gently rocking back and forth. My husband (a die-hard sailor) loves the effect, but I was getting dizzy just sitting still in a chair. (I'm still feeling the occasional boat-rocking, two days later.) Looking around the web for answers, I found out that the more you move around on land, the quicker your body will readjust. Good rest also helps. I kept myself moving the first day home by unpacking the bags, straightening up the house, and giving Delilah extra-long walks. (I missed her velvety ears so much while we were away.) Then I took a nap!

All in all, it was a great trip--hot and cool at the same time!

Your turn: What's the most educational trip you've ever taken? Let's hear it in the comments section below--I'm all ears!

Tags:
Abaco Cays, Abacos, Hope Town, land legs, lizards, rocking sensation after getting off a boat, sailing in the Bahamas, small sharks in the Bahamas, spiders in the Bahamas, Treasure Cay, what sharks are in the Bahamas, what's the difference between a frog and a toad